There were
questions in regards to just how much of a factor the pro-Michigan State crowd
would be in the first semifinal. While the majority of a record 72,456 people
was heard throughout the Spartans’ 82-73 victory, Connecticut had a much tougher
time boxing out the five eligible players on the floor. Although the teams tied
with forty-two rebounds apiece, the Spartans took advantage of their eighteen
offensive caroms and controlled the flow of the game in the second half.